Combined handle and fastener for receptacles



Nov. 16, 1943. E. H. coRsoN, JR A 2,334,478

COMBINED HANDLE AND FASTENER RECEPTACLES Filed Jan. e, 194s ITE; fa e Patented Nov. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED `HANDLE AND FASTENER FOR a RECEPTACLES Ernest Haines Corson, Jr., Washington, D. C.

Application January 6, 1943, Serial No. 471,490

Claims. (01-292-76) This invention relates to a Vcombined manipulating handle and fastener for the covers orvclosures of receptacles, and particularly covers or closures pivoted to the receptacle body for swinging movements to open and closed positions. More particularly the invention relates to a combined manipulating handle and fastener for the pivoted covers or closures of receptacles of that kind, such as rural free delivery mail boxes, wherein the cover or closure is opened and closed at more or less frequent intervals for the insertion andremoval of mail or other matter or materials, and is designed when closed'to be held securely in such position to protect the contents of the receptacle from displacement or the action of the elements.

In an approved and commonly used type of rural free delivery mail box having a pivoted cover, a fastener is provided for holding the cover closed whchcomprises a keeper member. fastened to the receptacle body and a latch member fastened to the swinging end of the cover. These members are formed of single ply strips of metal which are somewhat resilient and the keeper member is offset to form a keeper recess and the latch member off-set toforma latch projection to engage said recess, when the cover is closed and the members are brought into parallel relation, to fasten the cover in closed position. At their extremities the free ends of these strips are bent at right angles to form short fiangesex-` tending in opposite directions, the flange onthe latch member serving as an abutment or iinger piece under which a ngerof the operators hand may bear to` exert force to pull ,the door open and the flange on the keeper member serving as an abutment against which the thumb of the operators hand may bear as a steady rest and to force the keeper back to facilitate the unlatching action. Y

There are many objections to this commonly used ltype of fastener. As thefastener members are formed of single plies or strips of metal they are comparatively weak and liable to be easily bent or otherwise get out of shape so that they will notsecurely interlock. Frequent pulls on the latch member and pressures on the keeper member will cause themgto be bent away from each other or out of their locking positions, and if they are rebent in an attempt to overcome this diiculty they are liable to lock too tightly so that they cannot be easily released, or they are liable to be so bent thaty a secure locking action cannot be obtained. In courseof time, alsa-the bending operations of the latch member cause it to crystallize and break, thus rendering the fastener useless. Another great objection is that theA latch member cannot be easily gripped and operated if covered with snow or ice, or if the operators hand is chilled in cold weather or gloved, or if `the cover has a tendency to bind and resist an opening movement.

One object of my invention is to provide a combinedy manipulating` handle and fastener which is free from these objections, and in which the parts are of sturdy construction and cannot be easily bent or otherwise get out of order and which isadapted to give effective service for a long period. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction which at all times insures a secure fastening action to hold the cover closed, while permitting ofthe ready and convenient release of the latchmember and theopening of the cover even in the event that the cover tends to bind in its closed position. Y

Still another object of the invention is to pro-` vide a construction whereby the fastener mem- 'bers are braced so that they cannot be easily broken, either accidentally or from frequent service manipulations.

With these and other objects in View, the inven.- tion consists'of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: i Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation-of a portio of a mail box embodying my invention, and showing in full lines the cover in closed position and in dotted lines the cover thrown open.

Fig. .2 isa front elevation looking toward the box with the cover in closed position.

Fig. 3 is aV section through the box and fastener taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; y Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch member of the fastener.

Fig. 5 is asimilar View of the keeper member of the fastener.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I represents a mail box'of the character described, or any other suitable receptacle, the box or receptacle shown in the present instance being adapted to be disposed in a horizontal position and being open at one end for the insertion and removalP of mail 4or other matter or mate-` rials, and 2 is a cover for closing the open end of the box, said cover being pivoted at its lower end, as shown at 3, for upward and downward swinging-movements to closed and open positions,

My improved manipulating handle and fastener comprises a keeper member 4 and a manipulating handle and fastening member 5. The member 4, as shown, is fixed to the top Wall 6 of the box and is formed of a single strip or piece of resilient strap metal or other suitable material doubled upon itself `and bent to form a pair of overlapping end portions 1, which are secured to the Wall 6 by bolts or rivets 8 or in any other suitable manner, and to form a substantially triangular upper looped porti-on 9 lthe latter being disposed `mainly above the `plane of the wall at an upward and forward angle thereto and projecting beyond the open end of the box. This looped portion 9 comprises an inner limb IIJ andan Youter .limb .|.L,l

which diverge generally toward the free end .ot

limb I0 is longitudinally curved and formed two offsets I3 and I4. The offset -I3 is arranged adacent the Sinner end of the "limb it and forms a reinforcing abutment 'bearing against the limb H. 'The offset I4 is disposed between kthe ofset 13 and cross piece |12 and is spaced from the limb .H `by *the 'angular arrangement ofthe limbs, and said offset 'I4 `is shaped to form a curvedY keeper seat or recess. The Iconstruction of 'the part 'of the llimib IIJ "formed 'with the loilset is Asuch :as to allowit to'have a certain degree of resiliency, supplementary to that of the looped portion as a Whole, which has suilici-ent resiliency -to adapt `it to move back and forth to -a l'certain extent relative to its Anormal position. This movement is limited by the limb Il which acts as a reinfrorcing stay to limit the bending move-ments of the limbi D xunder pressure of the member or other pressures and to guard the limb "I0 -a-nd prevent theseat M rrombeing ben-t out or shape-or bac-kwardly out of its tru-e normal locking position. This resistance of the member 4l) to deflection from its normal position .and to distortion is promoted by the -form of Ithe portion t9 'and -by 'the bridge piece l2 which acts vas a supplemental stay, so that -a strong land rugged 'construction of keeper memfber -is provided which -wil-l maintain its shape and normal working position until `the parts are worn out. v v f :The latch member 5a1-so comprises va single s-trip andpleoe of strap meta-l or other suitable mal terlial Which-isdoubled upon itself Ito-form lapping attaching ends l5, 'which are Atixed to the cover 2 by bolts or Irivets Mi -or in any other suitable manner, yand Ia looped portion I'l which is substantially `iTiea-r-sl'raped or of ovoidal form and dise posed so that lits longitudinal axis lies at -a/n angle matly, 'substantially' throughout "its 'length against f and parallel with the body of the covernwhile the por-tion 2D proects 'outwardly beyond the ibody of the cover and partially beyond the swinging end thereof and its outer extremity -is oined to the limb t9 extends at obliqfuefangle to the pla/ne o1 the :body of the cover. A part :of the portion 2!) at leas-t isvcorrvexly curved ito 'conform to the shape ot the seat I4 of the member 4 and forma latchportion 2li interlock therewith in rear-of the bridge A-Il and to be overhung vthereby when-the cover in closed position. The loop iI'I adaptsv the portion '2.0 to have a certain deg-ree of resiliency to prevent strain on the member 5 vin a fastening action and the arrangement is such that when the members 4 and 5 are engaged the member 4 will be forced back suciently from its normal position to be tensioned so that the members will be held united by their physical connection as well as by an established spring force. As the portions of the members 4 and 5 which are in engagement are overhung by the bridge I2, which .establishes a resistance to their separation until a positive outward pull is exerted on the member 5, affirm and secure'fastening connection between the members is vobtained to hold the cover closed. A

The limb I9 forms a hand grip whereby the member .5 may Ybe grasped to serve as a handle to swing the cover open and closed and move said member 5 into and out of engagement with the member v4.. 11n :a .cover closing action the limb I 8 may be .gripped .by inserting one or more fingers of the 'hand into the'loop I'I and bringing said finger or .ngers to bear on the inner face of the limb While the thumb of the hand is brought to bear on the outer face Iof the "limb, 'so that 'a `firm Agrip may 'be obtained on the latch vmember to swing the door closed. 'In la cover yopening action the lim-b I9 `Ina-y be 'gripped in the kmanner described lbetween one or more iingers and the palm of the hand at the 'base of the thumb, -so that an outward vpull may be exerted on the latch member, -while at the lsame time the thumb is lbrought to :bear on the bridge piece I2 to exert pressure to `force Ithe 'keeper member backward, thus enabling 19; in 'addition to serving as a hand grip, 'fintherA serves asa stay to prevent undue strain from Ifall- 'in-g on the portion 29 and to prevent the same from beifng bent out of shape. Asa result the lock-mg form of the portion 2i) 'will always lbe preserved =and no localized bending effects can be set up Ito cause crystallization and breaking of the portion 2D. vThus a strong and durable latch member is yalso provided which willl last until the parts 4are 4worn out.

My invention accordingly provides an efficient :fastener for either indoor or outdoor receptacles,

and in kthe `case of outdoor receptacles allows ready and convenient manipulation of `the tas- 'tener and cover under lall Weather conditions, while acting to hold the cover when closed se- `mirely iclosed to protect 'the contents of the receptacle. Furthermore, my `improved construc- V tion adapts the fastener to be manipulated and fastener which -is strong and rugged, Yami not lia-ble to be bent or broken, and which is free from the objections to fasteners of the kind mentioned in common use.

while sitting in an automobile or other vehicle to open and close the box and insert and remove mail by the use of one hand ,extended from the vehicle, the advantages of which will be obvious.

It is to be understood that while a metallic structure is specified, the fastener members may be cast, molded or otherwise suitably formed and made wholly or in part of other` materials, and, therefore, I do not limit the invention in this respect or to making either fastener member of a single piece or kind of material.

It is also to be understood, of course, that the latch recess in the keeper member and latch prtion of the latch member maybe curved on suitable arcs, and that various changes in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts, falling within the scope of the appended claims, may

be made without departing from the spirit or Y sacriiicing any o f the advantages of the invention.

Having'thus described my invention, I claim:

.1. In a combined manipulating handle and fastener for a closure of a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening therein and a swinging closure for the opening, a latch member on the closureY having a convex latch portion projecting beyond the swinging edge of the closure, and a keeper member fixed at one end to the receptacle body and projecting at its opposite end beyond the body, said member being formed of a strip of resilient material doubled upon itselfand having its ends extending in the same directionand parallel with each other and arranged to overlap and forming the inner end of the member and having its intermediate portion bent to form the outwardly projecting portion of said member, said intermediate portion comprising a triangular loop formed ci outwardly diverging inner and outer limbs and a bridge piece connecting the same at their divergent ends, said inner limb being provided with a concaved keeper recess to Vreceive the convex latch portion of the latch member.

2. In a combined manipulating handle and fastener for a closure of a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening therein and a swinging closure for the opening, a latch member on the closure having a convex latch portion projecting beyond the swinging edge of the closure, and a keeper member fixed at one end to the receptacle body and projecting at its opposite end beyond the body, said member being formed of a strip of resilient material doubled upon itself and having its end portions overlapping and forming the fixed portion of the member and having its projecting portion bent to form a triangular loop comprising outwardly divergent inner and outer limbs and a bridge piece connecting the outer diverging ends of said limbs, said bridge piece being inclined at an angle to the plane of the loop, and said limbs and said inner limb being provided with a concaved keeper recess for engagement with the latch portion cf the latch member.

3. In a Vcombined manipulating handle and fastener for a closure of a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening and a swinging closure therefor, a latch member comprising a single strip of material having its ends arranged in lapping relation and secured to the closure and having its intermediate portion bent to form a closed inner and outer limbs diverging from each other in an outward direction, the outer limb being of less length than the inner limb, and an inclined bridge piece connecting said limbs at'their divergent ends, said inner limb being provided with a concaved keeper recess to receive the latch portion of the latch member. Y

4. In a combined handle and fastener for a closure of a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening therein, opposed-walls arranged sub-V- stantially parallel with each other and at right angles to the opening and a swinging closure hinged at one edge adjacent to one of said walls for movements inwardly and outwardly with relation to the opening, a keeper member comprising `aresilient strip doubled upon itself and having its end portions disposed in parallel and `overlapping relation and forming one end of said member and having its intermediate portion bent into the shape of a triangular loop forming the other end o said member and including diverging outer and inner limbs and a bridge piece connecting the same, the inner limb being formed with a concaved keeper recess, the first named end of the keeper member being secured to the other wall of the receptacle and the second named end of said keeper member being arranged to project from the wall beyond the plane of the door opening, and a looped handle and latch member secured to the closure adjacent to its free edge and including a bowed latch portion projecting beyond the said closure edge for engagement with the keeper recess of the keeper member.

5. In a combined handle and fastener for a closure of a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening therein, opposed walls arranged substantially parallel with each other and at right angles to the opening and a swinging closure hinged at one edge adjacent to one of said walls for movements inwardly and outwardly with relation to the opening, a keeper member comprising a resilient strip doubled upon itself and having its end portions disposed in parallel and overlapping relation and forming one end of said member and having its intermediate portion bent into the shape of a triangular loop forming the other end of said member. and including diverging outer and inner limbs, the latter of less length than the former and an inclined bridge piece connecting said limbs, and a handle and latch member secured to the closure adjacent to its free edge and including a looped body of substantially ovoidal form inclined at an oblique angle to the plane of the closure so as to have a portion of its body projecting beyond said edge of the closure to form a latch for engagement with the keeper recess of the keeper member. Y

ERNEST HAIVNES CORSON, J R. 

